


Tears and fireflies

by Mydarlingwriter



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2020-01-11 03:44:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18422142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mydarlingwriter/pseuds/Mydarlingwriter
Summary: Rayllum week is here! So here is my contribution for day one: Fireflies ;3; I had alot of fun writing this, and had to throw alittle hurt/comfort in there of course. ~





	Tears and fireflies

“ Have you ever seen a star-bug? “

 

The question came innocently enough from the lips of one moonshadow elf as she leaned against the human boy who had hunched over his sketch book hours ago, attempting to fill it with new scenery of this foreign land. He cocked his head to the side without removing his gaze from the parchment below, his hands fixated on perfecting both creature and plant in the landscape before him.

 

“ I can’t say that I have. “ He admitted, biting his lip in frustration as his hand smudged one of his almost faultless lines. She smiled as Callum furiously tried to cover it up. He was such a perfectionist.

 

“ My d- “ she caught herself quickly and changed her wording, “…Runaan- used to tell me stories about them when I was little. They come out just before full moons, and he said that they are the stars that fall from the sky and get trapped here. They always try to fly as high as they can go to get back, but never make it. “ she smiled down at nothing in particular as she was reminded of those fond moments with her father-figure.

 

“ Well that does sound interesting! “ The young mage was now all ears as he turned his head to look back at Rayla, though now she seemed deep in thought. “ There is a full moon tomorrow, does that mean we will see them tonight? “

 

The assassin was shaken out of her fog as he poked her arm with his pencil, waiting moments before he finally made a move to pull her from her imagination. “ Are you ok, Ray? “

 

She brushed her pause off with a very enthusiastic yes, and though he wasn’t fully convinced he let it be. She had now shifted from a sitting position to standing, her heart set on introducing him to an elven past time of watching these little bugs dance through the night. “ We can make our way a wee bit further west to a clearin’, and get out of these woods for a little bit. There should be plenty of open field for you to see them! “

 

Sapping off her sudden elation, Callum gathered his sketchbook and lifted Zym into his arms, who happily wagged his tail when Raylas fingers ruffled the scruff of his neck. “ You’re gonna to have fun too little one! “ she gleefully sang as she began to head in the direction of their destination.

 

As the two cut through thick brush and vine, her companion couldn’t help but ponder on her sudden silence from before. He then decided now was as good a time as any to bring it up. “ So… “ he began quite sheepishly, not wanting to trigger any bad memories. He didn’t know much about Runaan minus the glimpse he got of him on the castle wall, and he was concerned he would hit a nerve as he brought him up for the first time since the incident. “ How close were you to that Runaan guy you have mentioned a few times now? “

 

He swallowed hard as Rayla temporarily stopped walking, her head bowing forward ever so slightly. But it did not last long, as she quickly kept her pace once more. “ He was… well. My teacher, and my friend. He taught me everythin’ I know, about my culture and my trade. He trained me to fight, and he- “ she stopped and shook her head, biting back the last of her words. “ He was a good guy. “

 

Callum let Zym down to walk on his own as he reached out to take her hand, attempting to comfort her to the best of his ability. He could sense the hurt in her voice, and it pricked his heart to hear it. “ He was more than just your friend, wasn’t he? “

 

Rayla, gripping his hand tightly in her own, leading him through another ticket that lead to an open and very lush field, the setting sun lighting up the terrain in deep fiery hues of scarlet and gold. Letting out a deep sigh, she released her grip on him and headed through the tall grass, Zym keeping step with small leaps to keep his head above the verdant blades.

 

“ Yes. “

 

The lone answer dripped sorrowfully from her as she pressed on. Callum followed, trying not to pry but staying silent to allow her to comfortably speak of her past on her own terms. The two of them managed upon several large boulders that dotted the landscape, and took their seat on one that lifted them just over the vegetation below. Their feet dangling down, they watched Zym stretch his wings and flap about wildly as he pranced about and examined every little life form he found.

 

“ He was like my own father. “ She murmured, her hair delicately cascading around her shoulders as she watched the sun disappear behind a frosted peak. “ He took me in when my parents disappeared. I was so little, I didn’t know they were never comin’ back. So I waited every day, until one day he decided I was old enough to know the truth. “

 

Callum could feel her trembling as her leg brushed against his, and with much tenderness he allowed his arm to drape around her body, drawing her closer into his arms as she continued. “ I didn’t want to believe him, but with every passin’ year it was more and more apparent that I had been abandoned. It took me so long to see that he was just trying to protect me from pain. I think that’s why he taught me how to fight.. He was like my dad, and I wish he knew that today. I always wonder if I’m just destined to be alone. “

 

Once the first tear broke the edges of her eyes, the rest flowed like an unbroken stream. It shattered Callum to watch Rayla so crushed by the weight of all of the tragedy that she was forced to endure. The both of them had that in common, that life seemed to treat these young teens as though they were silver-haired veterans tested by the trials of a century. They were just kids. They needed love, and love had unforgivingly been torn from their very grasp before they even fully comprehended how to give it away properly.

 

With much apprehension, he let his hands do all of the talking for him as he caught the tears against his thumbs, brushing them from her cheeks as he brought her to look at him. “ I’m so sorry, but don’t ever be afraid of losing me. Nothing could drag me away, we will get through this together. And I’m also certain he knew how you felt. He knew you loved him. “

 

His promise she latched onto, making a mental note to hold him to it later if he chose to pull away. Gazing into his hazel eyes, she became lost in their pigment as he leaned forward to steal a kiss. He missed however, due to her sudden jolt as she turned, her focus captured by the glitter of lights that hung in the dusky breeze. All around them, the tiny glimmering insects sliced through the haze of darkness, their colors mimicking that of the twinkling stars above. Her smile held the joyful memories of these little creatures as she would try to capture them in her youth. Now, her laughter focused on that of their young dragon companion as he leapt through the air to seize the unsuspecting bugs.

 

Callum, in all of his wonder, brought out his sketchbook and began to draw the scene that unfolded before him. The higher they flew, the less he was able to detect the difference between them and the heavenly bodies above. He now understood why they had their name, though as one exhaustedly landed upon the tip of his pencil, he let out a small chuckle and turned to Rayla. “ Oh… well, I have seen these before! We call these little guys fireflies. “

 

She, of course, raised a brow in confusion as he let it crawl into his finger before it fluttered off once more. “ I suppose humans have some different lore about them? “

 

He only chortled louder as he shook his head, their little friend now resting upon her horn, giving her features a pale glow. “ Nope, we just find them cute. “ He leaned in and finally stole that kiss, his lips touching her cheek gently.

 

“ Very cute. “

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading <3


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